Chai wallahs of India

Trying to sum up the colour and excitement of India in a blog is challenging but this amazing blog has done it really well.

Zach and Resham are collecting stories of chai wallahs from India’s many distinct regions, highlighting the variations in chai culture and the role chai wallahs play in different communities’

They explain the significance of Chai

'In Hindi, a wallah is someone makes or sells a certain good. Chai means tea. A chai wallah is person who makes or sells tea—or both! But in India, chai isn’t simply tea, a hot drink made with water and leaves. Nor is it a “chai tea latte,” the popular beverage sold at coffee chains that is often made from a concentrate. Chai wallahs in India brew their chai fresh all day, every day, using tea, ginger root, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, black pepper, and many other spices depending on the region. Since the British helped popularize tea in India, chai wallahs have been setting up stands throughout the country and caffeinating the population, one small cup at a time.’

If you are trying to conjure up the colour of India at home with a genuine chai then start with some real tea. We have chai loose and in tea temples. You can easily make a chai with hot milk and one of our tea temples, if you sweeten to taste you will avoid that over powering sweetness which is can be commonly found in chai tea latte’s. We'd love to see your creations, be sure to tag your photos with #teapigslattes on instagram and twitter!